Page 49 of Sinful Promise

“It’s not your fault. Your father has been lying and cheating his entire life. As much as I tell myself you are the enemy, you’re not like him.”

His hand still lays possessively on my thigh. I place my hand over his and give it a squeeze.

“My older brother, Vlad, is like him. My younger brother, Albert, is more like me. He’s with them because he has no choice. I’m sure my father would make life difficult for him if he weren’t complicit. I’m lucky my father kept me away from their criminal activities, but I wasn’t allowed to do anything else. I have one friend. Her name is Katsia.”

Why am I telling him so much and blabbering on like we’re besties? It’s almost as if I trust him. Do I trust him? Can he be different from all the other men I’ve known?

Can Roman be different from my father and Vlad? If Roman has another side to him, then I hope Albert does, too. I wish I could get Albert out. I’m in no position to barter with Roman until there is an agreement with Andrian.

“I’m sure what you say about your brother is true. You’re not as silly as I thought you were when I first laid eyes on you jogging through that field in a wedding dress.” He sounds amused, and his mouth twitches at the corners.

“What? That look on your face…” I laugh and slap his thigh in jest. “You’re laughing at me!”

“No, I’m not.” Then he bursts out laughing.

“What?” I can’t remember the last time I laughed or even cracked a smile. I laugh harder because it feels liberating.

“You were a sight, all right. I was there on a reconnaissance mission taking pictures of the cars in the parking lot so we could trace them. All of a sudden, bam!” He claps his hands together, and I jump.

“What?” I giggle, wanting to know more about his first impression of me.

“Well, you were this vision in white sprinting across a very green lawn. I thought you were pretty, your hair piled on top of your head, and…your sneakers.” He laughs. “Those were…comical. I’m like, either she has this planned, or it was a last-minute decision. Either way, I had to intercept you. I was intrigued.” He calms himself and gives me a reassuring smile.

“Intrigued. Hm.” I put an elbow on my knee and place my chin on my palm. I tilt my head to look at him. “Okay. The truth is, I was forced to marry Andrian. My father sprung it on me that morning. Maybe he wagered my ass in a poker game and lost. Anyway, Andrian is gross, lecherous, and disgusting. I can’t think of enough repulsive adjectives to describe him.” I lower my arm, sit up straight, and take a deep breath. “I decided I’d rather take my chances at getting away than be stuck with him forever.”

It feels good to tell someone what happened that day. I glance over to Alex and Irina, who are playing cards. They seem content with their game as Roman and I carry on our conversation.

“I can’t imagine what you went through and probably would have done the same.” Roman shakes his head as if it’s too crazy to be true. “It sounds like your father kept you on a short leash. You were so well hidden that your name didn’t even come up on a background check into your family.”

I slip my shoes off, pull my feet under me, and lean against the oversized couch. The wind is picking up, so I gather my hair and braid it to keep it from flying around. I look to the horizon and notice that both the sky and the water have changed from blue to menacing gray.

“How did you survive the tyranny of your father?” Roman asks.

His voice draws my attention back to him. He’s wearing a dry-fit gray shirt that shows off his muscles. I remember how solid they felt under my fingers when I stroked his abs during sex. The memory makes my body tingle. He looks at my face intensely, causing me to blush.

“I read books. I love reading. What we can get is limited, but Katsia has a source for banned books.” I chuckle. “Those are the best ones. Now that I’ve been with a man, the things I read make more sense.” I sigh. “I’m a book nerd. I wasn’t allowed to attend university and rarely got a chance to go out and party with Katsia and her friends. My father scared off everyone with his harsh words. He’s the type to systematically go around the table at holiday dinners and cut down everyone with his criticism. He’s such a killjoy. I’m surprised I have any optimism left. The man sucks the life out of people with his depressive thoughts and biting words. Needless to say, I don’t have many friends. Most people my age are afraid of him, and maybe they have a right to be.”

“Really? I guess I’m lucky. My parents had a wonderful marriage. The holidays were always at our house, and Mom would set the table with our best china and her mother’s silver. She put so much effort into how it looked, from the fresh flower centerpiece to the handwritten place cards. She has an eye for decorating and redid my brother's house before he got married.” He takes a breath. “It didn’t matter if we had money or not. We loved being together. I guess that’s part of why it hurts so much that my father is no longer here, because we’ll never have an opportunity for all of us to be together again.” He’s quiet for a moment. Hopefully, talking about his loss has been cathartic. “I’m still adjusting to life without him,” he muses.

“I think we’ve been ignoring Alex and Irina,” I say to bring Roman back to the present.

Roman glances at the gold watch on his wrist. “You’re right. It’s time for appetizers and drinks.”

“I am getting hungry.”

We stand just as lightning cracks and thunder claps nearby.

“Oh!” I scream, startled, my hands flying to my mouth.

Roman wraps his arms around me as an alarm blares. “That’s the lightning warning,” he teases. “It doesn’t count if the first strike hits you.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because the first strike activates the alarm. If the first strike hits you, it doesn’t really matter, does it?” He smirks and shrugs his shoulders. I can’t tell if he’s pulling my leg or not.

“Let’s go in,” Alex says as he stands and escorts Irina inside. He gives me a brief nod of acknowledgment. We follow them, and the sky opens up when we reach the bar.

I stand at the window and watch the monsoon, knowing I’m safe. The others are talking, but I can’t hear the conversation over the sounds of the storm. The high winds blow sheets of water against the windows, and waves wash over the deck. I’m mesmerized and slightly petrified. I’ve never been on a boat, let alone a boat in a storm.

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